Deep Blue
by Chance33
Summary: Isabella Swan. Starting Whitlock University far from home to try to discover who she really is. Edward Cullen. Recruited to the Whitlock University football team after graduation and trying to find purpose through his pain. Both bearing a past that they discover they can no longer run from. This is their story.
1. Prologue Chapter One

**Summary:**

**Isabella Swan. Starting Whitlock University far from home to try to discover who she really is. Edward Cullen. Recruited to the Whitlock University football team after graduation and trying to find purpose through his pain. Both bearing a past that they discover they can no longer run from. This is their story.**

**AN:**

**I have no idea on how to even begin expressing my regret for doing this to anyone who has been following my story. You are all wonderful, and I am so sorry to do this, but I'm afraid it's something that I must do. I am currently rewriting Deep Blue, which was something I fully intended on doing for a while now. I have several chapters already finished, so you can expect regular updates until the chapters are back where we left off. I would recommend that even if you know what essentially happens, a lot has changed and it would be wise to read through these edited chapters. Again, I can't express my apology enough to have to do this, but I promise that I intend to bring you the best quality of this story that I can.**

**Enjoy.**

DEEP BLUE

Prologue

Somebody's yelling my name. The noise grows louder in my ears until it rings through my head like a shrill telephone. There is a sudden flash of iridescence that sneaks inside my mind. I find myself watching the light, wondering how so many amazing colors exist as they weave together interchangeably. The beauty of each individual color in the spectrum is so vastly unique and magnificent, and the colors somehow find a way to all come intricately together to become a grand design exuding indestructible allure. I don't know why I'm so drawn to the display of light. But somewhere deep inside me, I know that this light holds promises of answers I've wondered at my entire life: an unlocked Garden of Eden ready to give me a taste of the delectable fruit of knowledge. An offer I'm not about to refuse. Abruptly, I'm drawn away from my resolve by a stroke of a color I had almost forgotten. Amongst the catacombs of light, a flash of emerald green becomes known and reaches inside me until it touches my heart. It takes me back to where everything started, and it is then that I finally succumb into myself.

Chapter One

Angel Eyes

The small, wet window was ice cold as I pressed my index finger against it. I watched tears of rain streak across my limited view of the dark grey night sky as our plane descended into much more comprehensible heights. Planes always fascinated me. Everything about them, from the aerodynamics to the design to simply just travelling in general made me aspire to have my own one day. Planes were a symbol of starting new: of having a new experience. Build a new life, be somebody new, or in my case, this plane was providing me a chance to find out who I really was after years of being who people expected me to be.

With my recently acquired fedora, and over-worn sunglasses, I adjusted the volume on my phone to better hear The Antlers playing through my headphones, keeping focused on the window and steadily ignoring the blonde-headed boy who slept in the seat next to me. His name was already forgotten to me in that moment. He had been friendly at the start of the flight, but I was in no mood to talk, and I had been feigning sleep until he passed out. Was that who I was? The introverted girl driven by narcissism, who would let her lack of empathy disable herself from any kind of human connection? Slightly depressed by the idea, I sighed and refocused on the melodic band coming out of the tiny headphones. Kettering set the perfect mood on this gloomy night.

The twinkling of lights along the runway was the first greeting I received upon entering my new home, a small town called Whitlock that resided in central Texas. It was questionable as to whether the small airport even had a baggage claim, and I wasn't surprised to see they only had one terminal with one conveyor belt upon entering the deserted airport.

After I grabbed my luggage, I slid in a cab and rattled off the address to take me to my on-campus dorm for my first year of college at Texas Whitlock University.

The rain splattered on the car windshield, and I glanced at the dashboard to see that it was already 11 PM. I staggered through the wet street with my luggage after the cab dropped me off and headed to the building that would be my home for the next year. I pushed through the double doors and treaded over the carpeted floor to the elevator and after entering it, I crushed the black number four that was immediately illuminated in a soft pale yellow glow.

As the doors began to close, a high-pitched voice rang out.

"Hold the doors!"

A bit reluctant, I dragged a finger to the open doors button on the elevator and held it down and the doors opened once more.

"Thanks!" A girl about my height with styled brown hair greeted me with a big smile after she set down several shopping bags. Who goes shopping at 11 PM?

"My name is Alice," she protruded a hand out in my direction and I grasped it with my own and shook it.

"I'm Isabella."

"It's so nice to meet you!" She eyed the already lit number four in the elevator and her eyes lit up, "You're on fourth? I'm on that floor too!" I nodded and the corners of my mouth twitched upwards at the girl's enthusiasm. The short brown hair and porcelain features made her look quite doll-like, but the high energy made me think she had to be some sort of hyperactive energizer bunny or quite possibly on drugs.

I noticed in addition to her overall beauty, that her clothes were of designer origins and she looked very put together. Maybe shopping at 11 PM was the best time to get the latest fashions.

I shook my head. Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, I reminded myself.

"So Isabella, did you just get in?" She asked, noticing my luggage.

"Yes, fresh off the plane."

"Plane? Oh… Where are you coming from?"

"Phoenix." It wasn't a direct lie. I had been coming from Phoenix as I dropped by my Uncle's house to get a yearly check up and see him before I started my first year of college. Of all my family, I enjoyed his company the most.

"Arizona? That's really awesome. I'm from Washington! I can't say I've ever been to Phoenix, but I've heard it's beautiful!"

"It is, very much so." I agreed and smiled politely. Alice then went on to tell me about how she never saw the sun in Washington until summer and how wonderful Seattle was, but that she was excited to be in Texas.

The elevator doors finally opened on our floor, and I paused in the hall after we exited the elevator to keep listening as she continued.

"I just know I'm destined to fall for a Southerner. So I knew I had to come here. And they have a stellar program for what I want to do… And you're probably tired. I'm sorry, I've been talking your ear off." She giggled, and I couldn't help but grin at her. She was fairly chatty, but I could tell she was a genuine, kind-hearted person who I could get along easily with.

"It's okay, it was really nice to meet you Alice." I smiled at her, but it wasn't without difficulty. I knew I looked worn out after a full night of travel.

"You too Isabella! Come by my room, 405, anytime! We'll have to grab lunch sometime!" She waved and walked down the hallway, a defined confidence in her steps as she pranced down the hall. I proceeded to room 420 where I unlocked the door with my key and stepped inside to a simply furnished kitchen and living room with windows lining all along the back wall and two hallways opposite one another on either side of the living room. I followed one hall to a closed door and figured my other roommate, Angela, must be sleeping in that room. So I walked back to the living room and took the other hall and came to a bland room with one window on the opposite wall. There was also a bed, dresser, desk and bedside table all made of a glossy dark wood that was nicely arranged in the room. I flopped down on the bed as I stared at the ceiling and let out a sigh.

This is what you wanted. I reminded myself.

I quickly rolled off the bed and briefly unpacked and made up my bed before I went to the bathroom, pleased I had my own, and did my best to wash the grimy feeling of the plane off of me as I took a quick rinse off in the shower. The smell of my soap gave me comfort in the foreign shower in the foreign town. I couldn't help but feel better as the vanilla scent presided around me when I crawled into bed. I burrowed deeper into my crisp, freshly made bed; desperately hoping sleep wouldn't be elusive with the heightened emotions swarming inside me. A tear rolled along my cheek, following the action of the rain against the window of the plane I watched earlier, as I laid my head down on my soft pillow, praying I hadn't made the wrong choice in coming here.

* * *

><p>The next day was spent unpacking the few boxes that came in the morning after I took a quick run around the area. Donned in a baseball cap and a running top with shorts I saw only a few people out at 7 AM as I became familiar with my new neighborhood and the surrounding campus. When I came back I quickly showered and was in the kitchen, compiling a grocery list when a knock resonated from the dorm room door. Grateful to see upon opening the door that it was my stuff, I helped the delivery guy carry the boxes to my room, where he refused a tip I tried to give him before leaving with a smile and wave. The overall kindness of people here in Whitlock was definitely something I didn't expect.<p>

It wasn't until noon that my zombie roommate, Angela, finally came to the land of the living and opened her door. She padded into the kitchen, with big glasses and a messy bun on top of her head and went straight for the coffee pot where she made a cup and poured some into an eclectic looking mug. I was in the living room, and cleared my throat gently when she rounded around the kitchen counter.

She gave a small yelp and jumped as her eyes finally connected with mine. Brown round eyes filled with surprise as she immediately blushed.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry, I didn't see you in here." She stuttered.

I laughed, and after a brief pause on her part, she joined in. We were soon in a giggle fit and finally stopped, each smiling at one another.

"You must be Angela?" I asked, finally sticking out a hand as she walked closer, shaking my hand as she nodded.

"And you're Isabella?"

I nodded and then added, "Well this is a better introduction than before." I grinned as she shook her head, looking embarrassed, but smiling as she agreed.

"Do you want some help?" She asked, noticing me unpacking as I pulled out and folded a blanket.

"It's okay, I'm actually almost finished. I was going to run to the store in a little while if you want to come?" I framed the end in an impromptu question.

"Yeah! I'm an awful cook, and I'm all out of my frozen dinners, so I need to stock up on some more."

I hid my grimace at the mention of anything frozen, but quickly grinned as I realized this was going to be a fun year teaching someone else how to cook.

"I can teach you some easy things to cook if you want." I offered.

"Oh, that'd be great actually! Do you cook a lot?"

"I know my way around a kitchen." I shrugged. I wasn't an expert by any means, but I was learning new things every time I cooked and liked to think I could make a decent meal. I did most of the cooking for myself back at home and had quite a bit of practice.

"Okay, well I just need to get ready and stuff, but I'll be ready to go in like 20 minutes to the store."

"Sounds good."

Despite my attempts to sway her from frozen dinners, Angela still bought at least six of them. I realized that I really enjoyed talking to her and the store was a good bonding trip for us. Angela was a little on the reserved side, but when she said something it was insightful and genuine. We briefly talked about where we were coming from and why we chose Whitlock and covered the basics of what we were studying and hoping to get involved in.

We stayed in the rest of the day getting settled and I taught her how to cook a simple Parmesan pasta dish. I was caught off guard when she explained to me she had no idea how to cook pasta, and I was left wondering how in the world someone lived eighteen years without ever cooking some type of pasta, not even macaroni and cheese or anything… After we ate, we then decided to go back out to rent a movie to come back and watch it in our dorm room.

While we were waiting for the elevator on the fourth floor I heard my name being called and turned around to see Alice bound up to Angela and me.

"Hey Isabella!" She gave me a quick hug then stuck her hand out to Angela, "Hi, I'm Alice!"

Introductions were made and I explained to Alice that Angela was my roommate and that we were heading out to rent a movie to watch that night.

"Oh well, actually… I was going to head out to this party at my roommate's friends house if you two want to join me?"

Both Angela and I glanced at one another briefly and I shrugged, letting her know I didn't mind. Angela nodded, and I turned back to Alice.

"That sounds like a lot of fun, do you mind if we change our clothes first?"

Angela and I, with Alice in tow chatting excitedly about the details of the party, headed back to our dorm room and changed into more party appropriate attire. We then followed Alice outside and climbed into Angela's navy Prius and followed Alice's directions to the party about fifteen minutes away.

After Angela parked and we all got out of the car my phone buzzed, and I checked the caller ID.

I sighed, and then I told Angela and Alice to go ahead and that I'd be in after I took the call. They looked at me questioningly for a moment but continued on towards and then into the house.

"Hello?" I answered the call.

"Honey! Where are you? We haven't heard from you in a week!" The cheery tone from my mom filled my ear.

"I'm going to school, Mom. Classes start on Monday." I threaded my fingers through my hair and desperately brushed it back as I prepared for her reaction.

"What?" Gone is the cheery tone as shock is apparent in her voice, "What do you mean? Where are you?"

"I'm at Texas Whitlock University… I told you I got in, and that I wanted to go." I had told her in passing and she had simply laughed, thinking I was joking about wanting to go to college.

"But, I don't understand. I thought you were going to consider the deal Aro drew up for you?" She sounded annoyed.

"Please, Renee." Mom hated when I called her by her name, but I was desperate for her to understand that I was no longer a child, "Please, give me some time to think things over."

Silence. A minute passed and I was about to open my mouth to add to my defense, but she finally let out a sigh.

"Okay, honey. You take the time you need, and then when you come back we can talk about taking the deal. We'll discuss it over your winter break."

I let out a quiet breathe of relief.

"Thanks Mom. I actually have to go, some friends are waiting on me." I looked back towards the brightly lit house and could hear the music playing some chaotic beat.

"Alright, sweetheart, have a nice night!" The cheery tone was back.

"You too Mom. Bye."

I pressed end, took a deep breath, re-pocketed my phone, and strode to the front door.

When I entered the party I was immediately greeted with music that blared through the speakers around the room. It drummed about so loudly that I felt the rhythm pumping through the air and then reverberating through me. My eyes flickered to the room on the right and people were dancing while to my left there was an open bar. Some blonde-haired boy appeared to be the bartender as he theatrically mixed drinks together and handed people red cups. When I glanced around again, I noticed that most people in the house were carrying red solo cups around.

Alice suddenly appeared at my side. She was smiling and then gave me a huge hug. I could smell her strong perfume that smelled like sweet pomegranates.

"I'm so glad you came with me tonight!" She told me and then continued with her arm around my waist, "I just know we're going to be the best of friends!"

I laughed as I wondered how much she had to drink already. She giggled when I asked.

"Just a sip, Isabella! I pinky promise! Hey come on, I'll show you around and you need to meet some people!" She finally let go of me and pranced off before waving at me to follow.

So I followed her to the living room, and some people were sitting around talking while some were trying to lure others out to the dance floor that was in the next room over. I noticed that everyone here also held a red cup, except for a guy who was talking animatedly to another guy before he looked over at me, catching my eye, and smiled. He clapped the guy on the back and with a killer white smile then proceeded to come toward me. I glanced to my side but noticed that Alice was already disappearing into the dance room.

"Hey there!" The bright smile and slightly long dark brown hair definitely looked attractive paired with his nicely tanned skin. His breath smelled faintly of alcohol as it washed over my face.

"Hi." Something in his grin had me smiling back at him. He had an intimidating physique as he was fairly tall, and muscular, but his eyes shone with kindness.

"I'm Steve." He held out his hand.

"It's nice to meet you Steve, my name is Isabella." I gripped his hand.

"The pleasure is all mine Isabella." Cue megawatt smile again. "How are you doing this evening?"

"I'm doing well, thank you. And you?"

"I'm great, did you just get here?"

"Yeah. I came with a couple of friends…" I glanced around wondering where they had both disappeared.

"Steve!" I heard a loud voice shout from the dance room and then a boy stumbled out of the crowd. "C'mon Stevey, you're missing all the fun!" The guy turned back into the dance room. Steve glanced at me.

"Well Isabella, would you care to go dance?" He winked.

My initial gut-reaction was to say no, but what fun would I have sitting in that room? I had no idea where Angela or Alice had run off to either. My mind briefly flashed back to the day before, when I had ignored the boy on the plane. Now was the time to prove I was capable of human connection. So I agreed and followed him to the pumping room that smelled of sweat and alcohol. Everyone was jumping to the chorus of some pop song. Resolved, I just smiled and joined in. Steve jumped along beside me, singing on the top of his lungs in a high-pitched voice. I followed suit. After the jumping stopped, I could tell he was looking for someone, perhaps his friends.

Confirming my thoughts, he then led me to his group, and I see the blonde haired guy that had called him earlier. He was dancing with a girl, or better said, on a girl, who definitely needed more clothing than she actually had on.

I see some other guys laughing and shouting above the music to each other while waving their cups in the air. Steve laughs at them, but points to each while saying their names to me.

"That's Luke, Brad, Jasper, and Trey." I nodded; taking note that Trey was the one with the brunette girl in a bathing suit. His wavy hair was slightly covering his eyes as he continued to dance on her. I glanced away.

I danced for a couple of songs with them, enjoying Steve's company and easy-going nature. Afterwards, I decided to try to find Alice and Angela. I searched around and was unsuccessful, and I decided to go get some water from the kitchen.

I rounded the corner to enter the kitchen-turned bar and my eyes met the greenest pair of eyes that I had ever seen. They were bright emeralds that shone like a full moon. They hypnotized me, and I couldn't look away from their beauty.

I stopped walking and forced myself to break eye contact with the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen, only to see that they were framed by seductive long lashes and belonged to the most breath-taking, attractive guy. My first thought was that he looked otherworldly. His face was so beautiful; from the bright green eyes that captivated me to perfectly carved lips and sharp cheekbones, I deduced that his features had to be passed down from the angels. His hair was a golden bronze color; not short, but not quite long either. It was slightly messy as well. I watched as long fingers reached up to comb it back and off of his face. His physique was lean and athletic. He wasn't as tall as Steve, but definitely was at least six feet. And his eyes… How could such eyes exist?

Thrills ran through me as I realized that he had been looking at me too. No… Not at me, but in my own eyes. He looked with such intensity that I thought he could see right through them and into my mind. I blushed as I realized I was staring for longer than was considered polite, and if he just so happened to be a mind reader, my last thoughts about him definitely were not very appropriate.

Rather abruptly, he turned away and left the room. I wanted to laugh at myself for analyzing the ridiculous moment I thought that we had shared. An unbreakable connection suddenly had become quite fragile and brittle. As I watched him walk away, I noticed how those beautiful green eyes glazed over and his body swayed slightly as he had slight difficulty walking back into the other room. He was _drunk_.

I'd had a moment with a _drunk_ person. I had reached an all time new low. I laughed at my instant romantic notions towards strangers. Was this who I was? A hopeless romantic? I shook my head, and vowed I would stay far away from emerald eyes for the rest of the party and to make sure to never have a moment of weakness like that again.

I eventually got my water from the overly helpful bartender named Mike, who I discovered was studying sociology and had a thing for adding extra alcohol into just about any drink. After I knocked it back, I went back to searching for Alice and Angela. I'd had enough for tonight. Emerald Eyes had shaken me to my very core. How could I have felt so much for someone I didn't know? For someone I had only made eye contact with?

I couldn't find either of them and the only place left to look was back on the dance floor. So I ventured back out to the pounding music and was greeted by Steve's friends again. Steve was dancing with some other brunette girl, and Trey now had two girls, the other three guys were in a group with some other I couldn't really see. Jasper had greeted me and now took a couple steps to meet me.

"Isabella? You're friends with that Alice girl, right?" He asked me.

"I am." I replied.

"Do you have her number?" He asks. But it's quiet and shy. Like how a schoolboy with a crush would say.

I glanced up at Jasper. I took in his long messy blonde hair. It was straight, and reached just past his ears. His eyes were pale blue and wide, they had just the touch of honesty and innocence that had me pull out my phone. I rattled off the number to him that she had given me on our way over here, and he programmed it into his own phone.

"Thanks," he gratefully sighed when I finished.

"Have you seen her in the past five minutes?" I questioned him.

"Yeah, she left for the bathroom not too long ago with Angela. She said she would be right back, so you can wait for her with us."

"That'd be great. Thanks."

We smiled at each other. I followed him back to his group. I noticed Brad had found a girl to dance with now too. It left Jasper, Luke, and…. My eyes traveled and I started at the green eyes that I had seen earlier. He was listening to Luke say something and his gorgeous eyes flashed to me as I approached with Jasper.

"Hey," Luke grinned kindly at me.

"Hi," I breathed. I was determined not to look back at emerald eyes.

However, Luke turned to Jasper and they both started to talk about something in hushed voices.

And just like that, I was left alone with Emerald Eyes. I reluctantly turned back towards him, and I noticed he was still staring intently at me. If he was trying to read my mind or see through me still remained a mystery to me. I fidgeted under his stare as I tried to not let it affect me again as much as it did before.

He held out his hand to me, his long fingers slightly bent and opened. It was a gesture I recognized, although fairly outdated: an invitation to dance. I hesitated. What was wrong with one dance? Connection, I reminded myself. I would fight the nature inside me that fled when an opportunity to understand and be in anyway attached to someone else presented itself.

I delicately placed my hand in his open one, and he pulled me closer to him. The force caught me off guard, and I stumbled into his hard chest, but he steadied me with both his hands grasping my upper arms. I marveled at his strength and graceful composure for the state he was in.

His touch on my skin was exhilarating; it kick-started my heart, and with my inability to feel altruism this anxious excitement that passed through me at his touch was a foreign enigma. His eyes pierced me as both of our breaths spiked and fire burned from his hands to my skin as a connection not like anything I had ever heard of before danced between us.

He pulled me close, and I would have objected and gotten out of his sudden embrace, but I heard a soft, content sigh pass through his mouth. It shocked me momentarily, but I relaxed in his arms as we danced slowly together. I had never felt so… Complete.

Seconds… Minutes… Days could've passed as the perception of time faded away as we were wrapped in one another's arms. However long it was, I pulled away from his embrace at the end of the song. My heart was racing as our eyes connected. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. And those eyes… They continued to pierce my own as if my eyes held something he was desperately searching for inside me.

It was too much. Too much emotion, too much connection, too much _fire_. I couldn't control the racing emotions flowing through me. The depth of everything completely unsettled me as I felt him peering into the deepest parts of my soul. I didn't even know his name.

I took a deep breath and took an unsteady step back away from him.

I refused to believe that it was just me. This couldn't have just been me overanalyzing this connection between us; he had to have felt it too. And by the flash of hurt that crossed those now narrowed stunningly beautiful eyes, I knew he wasn't unaffected either despite his inebriation.

"Isabella! Hey! We've been looking for you! Are you ready to go?" Alice and her cheery countenance was what I needed to pull me out of my emerald-induced haze as she appeared by my side.

I gazed at those emeralds full of emotion as I replied, "Yeah, I'm ready to go."

Alice glanced between us as I finally broke our connection and walked away from Emerald Eyes. Every step that my feet took me away from him made my heart grow louder in my ears. When I blinked, the brief moments my eyes closed, emeralds were imprinted in the back of my eyelids, haunting me.

By the time we made it back to Angela's Prius, I was borderline hyperventilating, my breath came in short gasps as I tried to hide it from Alice and Angela, who were chatting amiably in the front seats. I found the strength to pull myself back together in the car ride back to the dorm and forget the connection I felt with Emerald Eyes. So when I said goodnight to Alice later in the hall of the fourth floor, it was with genuine gratitude that I thanked her for inviting us. And a little while after that, when I listened to Angela ramble about how cute Brad was, it was with complete sincerity that I finally expressed my exhaustion, but told her I wanted to hear more about it later.

It wasn't until I was back in crisp sheets, freshly showered, that I allowed my mind to drift back to Emerald Eyes, and the connection we had shared. The way he held me so close as we danced, and the feeling of absolute comfort and peace I felt in his arms that I had never experienced before. In the world I came from, it was all about whom you knew, where they came from, and what they could do for you. And here I was, finding more comfort and connection from a stranger's embrace, whose name I didn't even know, than I had my entire life in the world I'd known. Even the kindness and camaraderie that Alice and Angela had shown me was more selfless and genuine than any other friendship I'd experienced.

As I closed my eyes, and in the brief moment before sleep overcame me, I finally started believing that maybe I had made the right decision in coming here. Maybe this was exactly what I needed to find out who I was.

**Chapter Title Songs:**

**Prologue- The Antlers (Gave ya a hint on that one with Kettering.)**

**Angel Eyes- Frank Sinatra**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Chance33**


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Dazed and Confused

I woke up before the chimes of my phone the following morning. Overcome with restlessness that refused to go away, I was composed of an energy that both excited and scared me. I'd never felt so alive or so free.

Today was the first day of classes at Texas Whitlock University.

I got ready for the day and went to the kitchen where I grabbed a banana and filled a water bottle up to take with me. My backpack was already packed with spirals waiting to be filled, pens full of ink, and empty folders. After a quick brush to my teeth, I threw my backpack on and laced up my shoes and was out the door and off to my first class: if you could call it that.

Whitlock University required Physical Activity Electives, also known as Kinesiology classes as a mandate for every student to learn about healthy lifestyles and healthy living through activity. My Kinesiology class was a specified running class that I had elected to take. I walked through the early morning campus dew to the far east side of campus. When I got to the Athletic Complex, the building was still fairly empty. It wasn't quite eight yet, and I had time to spare as I took in the building. There was an enormous track area in the center of the building with a tall ceiling, and on the outer layers of the track there were glass walls separating the hallways from the track. Classrooms were lined across the hall from the glass, and when I glanced up I could see several more floors of hallways through the glass.

I entered a classroom on the first floor and noticed that only a few other students were there. I pulled out a pen and spiral and patiently waited for the teacher to arrive.

When he did, I took note that he was fairly young and attractive. His arms were defined and he wore athletic clothes that showed his slim, toned shape very clearly.

"Good morning everyone." He spoke; his voice was low and sultry with a slight southern draw. I could've sworn every girl in the room let out a soft sigh as we all mumbled a good morning back to the light brown haired guy.

"Alright, welcome to the start of a new semester! My name is Professor Mueller, and today we're just going to go over what this semester is going to look like and what I expect of everyone. And afterwards, we'll go for a two mile run to see where everyone's pace is."

He gave a brief introduction about himself including that he was freshly out of college after obtaining a PhD in sports medicine. He had played for the Whitlock Men's soccer team while he had done his undergraduate degree here. After, he had everyone introduce themselves and tell their class year, their major, and a personal goal for the semester. Some people had ridiculous answers, like "find a man" or "get a job". I found myself reflecting on the question, and when it was my turn I rambled without thinking through it.

"Isabella Swan. Freshman, Pre-Med. And my goal this semester…" What did I say? What was there to say? What goals did I have this semester? That wasn't really the question; the real question was: why was I here? Before I could think it through I subconsciously muttered, "I want to find myself."

The people who weren't paying attention before now gazed at me with furrowed brows. I glanced around, blushed, and sat back down, finally meeting Mr. Mueller's eyes that penetrated my own. However, the next girl stood up and introduced herself as Bree and continued on. I smiled gratefully at her and ignored my embarrassment and everyone in the class as I twirled a pen around my finger.

After everyone finished their ''spiel'', Mr. Mueller led us to a locker room and explained that the lockers had automated locks that could be programmed every time to recognize a new password for each new user. He then gestured to the hallway and explained that it led to both the guy's and girl's showers and bathrooms. All of it was at our disposal this semester. We each took a locker and packed our stuff inside it, before following the professor outside.

After a brief warm up, Professor Mueller explained that he would lead the group for the two miles and record the time it took everyone to finish. We all piled behind him and then he was off, and I felt the exhilaration that comes with running flow through my veins. He set a fast pace, but knowing we were only going for a couple of miles, I knew it wouldn't be hard to keep his pace for that distance. So I kept up while others quickly dropped behind. He glanced back after several minutes and took note of me and two other guys keeping up with him and the rest of the class was falling farther behind. He picked up the pace a little after, and although my legs weren't used to it, I pushed harder. After another minute or two of this the other two guys with me slowed back down. Professor Mueller glanced back again and then pushed faster. Competitive much? I wondered, and I trailed right behind him, still keeping up with his ridiculous pace. We were bordering on sprinting now. After a couple of minutes, I saw him reach over and touch his wrist and then heard a beep from his watch as he slowed down and then stopped.

I stopped next to him, then I walked slowly in a circle and my hands went behind my head as I tried to catch my breath.

"Isabella, right?" He asked, out of breath.

"Yes sir."

"Good job, I'm impressed."

"What was our time?" I asked, and he raised his eyebrow.

"Eleven minutes and two seconds." I nodded.

We waited another minute or so for the next two guys to finish, and then sporadically the rest of the class finished. The route Professor Mueller had taken us on, took us in a large circle so that we ended up back at the building where our class was. Professor Mueller said he wanted us to remember our times and make it our goal to improve them by the time we ran at the end of the semester. Then he dismissed us and we went back inside to grab our stuff.

After I came back out of the locker room with my stuff, I made my way through the hallways that were now much busier at 9 AM. I was approaching the doors to leave when a girl stopped me.

"Hi! Are you a freshman?" She had a nice smile.

"Yes?" I gave her a small smile back. I didn't think I was obvious about being one…

"Apply to be a hostess for the football team! We basically just help out with whatever they need, like water during practices, help make parents comfortable during games, or write encouraging letters, or take care of paperwork." She handed me a flyer.

"Oh, that's neat." I glanced down at the flyer.

"Just go online and submit the application and you'll hear back by Friday whether or not you'll have an interview!"

I smiled and nodded then went out the glass doors into the sunlight.

My next class wasn't until 10:30, so I went back to my dorm room where I quickly ate, and I noticed Angela had already left for her morning classes. I regrouped and changed before heading to my next class across campus.

I took a seat near the front of the lecture hall, knowing an introduction biology class had to be somewhat crowded, and glancing around, I noticed a lot of students were already there.

My biology professor wasn't nearly as exciting as Professor Mueller had been, but she seemed to know her stuff and also seemed willing to help anyone who needed it in her class.

By the time I made it to chemistry, I noticed a dull pattern forming as professors rambled on about the syllabus and expectations they held of us in their class.

I finished off the school day with my biology lab, which was essentially the same, except we had a graduate student who was our Teacher's Assistant, or TA and led the lab.

I had kept to myself most of the day, probably still embarrassed from the admission I had made that morning in front of my running class. There were plenty of people that introduced themselves, and I had the pleasure of meeting them; although, the names I'd relatively blurred and forgotten as I had simply focused on the professors and what they had to say instead of making new friends.

Alice came by the dorm room later that night, after I had taught Angela the basics to cooking spaghetti and then transforming it into carbonara. We were sitting on the couch watching a movie eating our dinner when Alice arrived.

She scooted on the couch with us, and we talked and discussed our first day of classes. I couldn't help but realize this was what had been missing in my life: these moments where you just sat around and had "girl talk" with people who were genuinely interested to hear what you had to say.

"This professor Mueller sounds hot, Isabella." Alice commented.

I laughed, "He is fairly attractive…" But instead of remembering the young attractive professor, my mind flashed to emerald eyes as I remembered the way my body had completely flushed from the fire that existed when we touched. I mentally chastised myself. I wasn't going to see him ever again. Or, so I thought.

* * *

><p>The next morning I had my physics lab.<p>

I woke up slightly sore from the previous morning's run with Professor Mueller. It had been a while since I had pushed my limits that far, and I was feeling the effects. I was several minutes early to the 8 AM lab, and I sat at an unoccupied table and patiently waited for class to start. I was organizing my things in my bag when I heard the chair next to mine move back and scrape gently across the tiled floor. I looked up and saw Steve, the guy I had met two nights before at the party where Emerald Eyes had been.

"Hey, Isabella right?" He asked with a grin, and I couldn't help but stare at his brilliant white teeth.

"Yeah, and you're Steve?" I smiled back at him.

"Yep, that's me. Is anyone sitting here?" He questioned as he unpacked his bag.

"No, it's all yours." I told him, and glanced at the door and watched our TA come inside the room and begin lecture, which prevented any further communication between us.

The next class we had was the actual physics lecture, so Steve stuck with me as we packed up and headed downstairs to the lecture halls.

"So my roommates and I are having some people over tonight." Steve commented. I looked up to meet his dark brown eyes. Would emerald eyes be there? I instantly found myself wanting to go, even though I knew it was a bad idea, that I was obsessing over something that was so absurd. I didn't even know the guy's name…

"Oh, that's cool." I fiddled with the strap on my backpack.

"You're welcome to come. You can bring your roommate and your other friend too." He added.

"Yeah, that sounds like a lot of fun. I'm sure they'd love to come too. Thank you."

"Cool." He simpered and it was infectious.

He didn't mention anything else about the other night, although I was practically bursting with questions I wanted to ask about Emerald Eyes. I fought with myself the whole lecture, struggling to maintain a cool indifference towards the new feelings inside me and wanting to succumb into them and ask Steve his name.

The lecture eventually ended and I held my tongue. I was holding onto the possibility of seeing Emerald Eyes again; hoping I could find answers as to why he affected me so much. Maybe after being depraved so long without any sort of honest connection with people, I had simply imagined it.

* * *

><p>Later that night, I found myself at some apartment that Steve had texted me the address to. I brought Alice along, since she had been talking to Jasper ever since the last party where I had given him her number. Angela had told us she wanted to go to bed early that night, because she was exhausted from a long day. We climbed the stairs to the top floor and went to room 309. I knocked and the door swung open.<p>

"Isabella!" Steve greeted, he had the signature huge smile on his face that made me instantly grin.

"Hey Steve." I delightedly acknowledged his presence.

"And you're Alice?" He turned to her.

"Yeah, that's me," she replied. She stuck out her tiny hand and shook his.

"Well, come on in." He ushered us inside the fairly large apartment. I saw Jasper glance in our direction and he looked delighted to see us, or maybe specifically: Alice. There were about twenty people there, mostly guys but a few girls too, all talking and hanging around the room.

"This is my apartment," Steve waved his hand around, "with Jasper, Luke, and Edward."

I nodded; while I idly wondered which unfamiliar face was Edward. I didn't have time to ask, because suddenly Jasper and Trey appeared, offering both Alice and I drinks. We both took the cups, but I sat mine down on the kitchen counter. I wasn't planning on drinking that night.

Alice took a sip and followed Jasper to a leather couch where a few people were sitting and chatting, I looked around again, but I didn't see Emerald Eyes anywhere in the room. The feeling of disappointment that flooded through me was unnerving, and I felt sick. Could I just sneak out and leave? I didn't really want to be at the party if Emerald Eyes wasn't there. I briefly glanced at Steve as I contemplated leaving, while I was still close to the door.

"Hey Edward," Steve grinned and took a step sideways, effectively blocking my escape and looking at someone behind me. I turned around and came face to face with Emerald Eyes_._ His eyes were more luscious and deep than I had remembered. I hadn't given them enough credit; they were a sign of vegetation to those who were starving, or a glimpse of Eden to those in the fiery midst of hell. His eyes were not of this world.

"Steve," he slurred. Drunk again? I mused. But his voice sent chills through my body. It was a soft, velvety voice that reverberated through me from end to end, sparking delight deep in my lower stomach. I was again under the scrutiny of his eyes and I wanted him to speak again, because his voice was so beautiful and arousing.

His gaze was focused on me and I wondered if he noted my dilated pupils. His eyes raked over my face and then further down me. Steve cleared his throat and said something about going to the bathroom. I wondered if the tension between Emerald Eyes and I was palpable in the air.

Edward. Emerald Eyes' name was Edward. I wanted to say something to him, but my neuro-linguistic network was abruptly disrupted, or at this point, completely crashed and offline as I failed to make any connection between my brain and mouth to say anything. He held out his hand to me again, just like he did the night we danced. I wondered at it, his toned forearms and narrow wrists down to gentle long fingers, but slowly I set my hand in his. He locked his fingers around mine and held my hand in a firm, electric grip. I marveled at the feeling between us. No, I didn't imagine this connection; it still existed.

He walked me over to the couch where Alice and Jasper had gone, and we sat down on the other end from them. Edward didn't let go of my hand, and for some reason, I didn't pull away either even after I caught Alice raising her eyebrows at me.

Jasper spoke first and gestured to other people in the chairs and couches around us, "This is Sharon, Kelli, Luke, and Mason. Everyone, this is Isabella."

I greeted them all, and despite shaking her hand and complimenting her dress, Kelli gazed at me with loathing in her eyes as she thanked me.

While I was in the middle of the conversation with Luke, who turned out to be in my running class, she stood up, strode over and plopped straight onto Edward's lap. Up until that point, Edward hadn't said anything but had kept holding my hand.

Now, however, he released my hand, and both of his hands went to Kelli's back as she plopped her lips to his mouth.

She leaned back and whispered in his ear, but I could hear every word she breathed into his head.

"Edward, baby. The other night was the best…. I've ever had." She seductively lowered her voice.

I immediately stood up. Wow. _Wow._

"I need to use the restroom." I told Luke in explanation. He nodded but he too looked shocked at the abrupt display of passion emitted from the female on Edward's lap.

I didn't know where I was going as I left the living room. After turning the corner in the hallway, my escape into one of the rooms in the apartment was discreet.

* * *

><p>Breathe in. I came into a black and silver bedroom. The bedspread and walls were black, but the desk and some pillows were a bright silver color. Breathe out. I saw my Emerald Eyes. Edward was his name. Breathe in. The room looked nice and really clean; I noted that even the bed was made as I shakily took a seat on the edge and lowered my head to my clammy hands. Breathe out. My heart fluttered vociferously for me to understand the gravity of the situation. My throat squeezed as nausea rolled through me. The echoing sound of her husky whisper that had graced my ears sent violent shivers up my spine.<p>

I couldn't do this.

I felt utterly ridiculous. For falling for Emerald Eyes... Edward. For making our connection something that it never was and never would be.

For the first time in my life, I was heartbroken. And I had only myself to blame.

I sat, internally in pieces, for a couple of minutes. Then I heard a soft creak of the door. Startled, I cast my eyes on the unwelcome visitor.

Edward slowly closed the door, and I flinched as a loud click resonated in the room around us, seeping into the walls only to continue its radial noise to the beyond. He took measured, careful steps and came to where I was sitting on the bed. I felt his eyes boring into mine, and under his spell, I kept his gaze. I was a mouse trapped underneath the seductive power of the snake. When he was within a foot from the bed, he held his hand out again like he did the other night when we had danced. I stubbornly turned away from this stranger's offer. I wouldn't take it again, hadn't I learned my lesson? He sighed, and immediately my eyes were back on him.

His hand was unwavering as he held it out to me and now quite mindlessly, I took it. He pulled me off the bed and into his embrace. His strong, toned arms wrapped around me and his chest pressed lightly against my own.

Time in his embrace was meaningless, the linear organization of everything faded away and the state of being went from singular to plural, because I knew that in his arms I was more myself and closer to the purpose of being than anywhere else. I knew then why everything was designed in pairs: as our cognition is ontologically stimulated to function in a symmetrical sphere.

I didn't want to let go from this other being that completed me, and his lock around me didn't loosen. Somewhere inside the part of myself that had lain dormant until this week, I sensed that Edward needed this just as much as I did, and I stopped worrying about our connection. He needed me just as much as I needed him. I buried my face in his neck and breathed his essence inside me wondering if there was a way to make this feeling last even after we parted.

I felt his cheek move upward against my hair. Then his grip loosened.

"Edward." I murmured so quietly that the word might've been lost in the space between us as he pulled away and looked into my eyes.

The depth of his gaze went beyond my physical being, past my cognitive state of awareness and settled into the very essence of myself. My soul was laid bare to him as his eyes pierced my own, reading for himself everything I failed to tell him.

In turn, I gazed back into luscious emerald depths, past the glossiness of one too many drinks, past the lust filled haze he wore, and I saw the desperation of one drowning in pain.

An abrupt blink came, and our connection was broken; the pain disappeared from his eyes.

Confused at this new discovery, I sensed his angle of distraction as he pulled me down onto the bed and wrapped me in his arms. Delicately, he traced my face with the pads of his fingers, muttering so quietly I could only catch the word beautiful. The same tingling came from the skin-to-skin connection that existed between us, and I closed my eyes with a small smile on my face as he continued to lightly brush his fingers along my face.

After he finished, I rolled over him and brought my index finger to trace over his dry lips. I continued to the dark bags under his eyes which then flew into his sharp attractive cheekbones, and finally I tried to smooth the lines out on his forehead that were so indicative of the pain inside him that I saw moments earlier.

After a few minutes, his eyes fluttered closed and his breathing slowed; he had fallen asleep. I remained there for a moment, watching him breathe so peacefully, when a content sigh passed through his beautiful lips. I ached to brush my own lips against his, how could someone be so beautiful?

I briefly checked my watch and realized Alice might start wondering where I was, so I slowly detangled myself from Edward.

I spared one more glance at him, still asleep on the bed, before I slipped outside the door. He looked so serene and beautiful that I couldn't help but smile. Somehow, it felt like I was looking back in a mirror. That part of my soul had been whisked away by him in that room and it was still tangled up with him. I wondered when I'd get it back, and the idea of the future no longer scared me: it excited me.

Back in the living room, I found Alice, and she wagged her eyebrows at me.

"What?" I asked.

"It's nothing," Alice shrugged but her lips twitched upward to indicate otherwise.

"You ready to go?"

"Yeah."

We left the apartment and told everyone who was still there goodbye. Steve gave me a big hug and told me he'd see me in physics, and Jasper and Luke both gave us huge goodbye hugs as well. I noticed Kelli was missing from the couch, but I decided that I wasn't going to worry about her, or her past with Edward.

* * *

><p>In the car ride back home it was complete silence. I realized I was with Alice, who was the most non-quiet person I'd ever met.<p>

"Alice?" I started then continued, "Is everything okay?"

Alice glanced at me as if she just realized I was there.

"Do you believe it's possible to fall in love with a guy before you even know him?" She asked me.

I instantly thought of Edward and how I left a part of me back in the room with him. Was the connection that existed between us called love? I wasn't sure as to the validity of my expertise on the subject, but I knew that what I shared with Edward was something I hadn't had with anyone prior to coming here.

"I don't see how it would be impossible." I told her. "Especially if there's such a thing as a soul mate."

Alice looked back over at me, and it was then that I saw she understood. Alice and I were both on the same page with our respective guys, Jasper and Edward. We both were in so much deeper than we had expected, and now we were each trying to figure out what it meant. She gave me a small smile that I returned, and then we looked back at the dark graveled road illuminated in moonlight. The rest of the car ride back home was carried on in silence.

* * *

><p>I curled into my soft bed later that night. Physically, nothing had changed since the last time I had been in my bed. However, I knew that I was not the same girl who had left the bed earlier that morning; I knew that my connection with Edward was something that people rarely found with another person. I inhaled the flowery scent of my pillow and couldn't wait for what tomorrow and the days to come would bring. For so long I had been living in this world in a daze; so confused as to what my purpose was, and so incompetent to understand how to emulate the emotions people around me expressed. But here I was, finally being guided out of the haze by an emerald green light, ready to show me how to start living.<p>

**Chapter Title Song:**

**Dazed and Confused- Led Zeppelin**

**Endless Love,**

**Chance33**


	3. Chapter Three

**I don't own Twilight.**

Chapter Three

Savior

Green irises encompassed brightened pupils that lay beneath furrowed brows. I slid a delicate finger between his brows, trying to smooth the worried expression that was on his troubled face.

"Why are you hurting?" My voice sounded particularly airy and distant, as if the words came from somewhere else.

He turned his head away from me, and I missed the emerald green instantly.

"No…" I gasped. "Don't shut me out…" This time my voice held the same airiness and was wracked with agony; it slowly faded away into the distance as if it was only a memory.

I could do nothing in that moment but be engulfed by the feeling of helplessness and loneliness as I watched him walk away into the black mist. I no longer had access to my vocal chords to shout at him, to beg him not to succumb into the darkness, nor did I have access to my legs to follow after him running.

* * *

><p>The next morning I woke in a breathlessness that had me stumbling out of bed and desperate to work off the restlessness inside me.<p>

I scrubbed my teeth trying to rid myself of the bitter taste of the dream. I laced up my black running shoes, threw on a loose tank top, and took a brief glance at my watch before leaving the dorm room.

5:15 AM.

It was still dark outside, but it was the quiet of the morning that I so desperately loved and needed. The air was fresh, the animals only just thinking of coming out of their slumber. The chaos of the day had not yet come to focus in the early morning hours.

I ran far out from Whitlock's campus, into the wooded area that surrounded the south side of the small town, where I watched the sun rise in the distance before I turned around to head back to carry on with my new life at Whitlock.

* * *

><p>Desperately needing a distraction from my thoughts consumed of Edward, I applied to help out with the football team on Thursday after all of my classes. With my expected course load, I knew I'd have enough free time to have an extra elective, and the girls who had handed me the flier about it after my running class on Monday had seemed decent and nice enough. I also knew my fair share about football, and I had followed college football for the past couple of years, so I felt reassured in being a part of something I was well versed and educated in.<p>

I heard back the following morning that they wanted to interview me that afternoon if I was available. I confirmed, and an excited Alice and Angela helped me pick out an outfit after my morning classes. Alice had already found a designer's fashion club to join, as well as she had already secured a place on the student government. Angela had applied to join the school newspaper to see how she liked it as she was considering a potential career in journalism. They were both excited for my interest in something outside of school and helped encourage me to follow through with it.

* * *

><p>After my interview, I met Alice at a campus café where she wanted to hear all about it: from the color and comfort of the chair I sat in to the outfits everyone wore to the exact questions asked in the interview. I spun my water's bottle cap with my thumbs and watched it spin around and around before it settled on its backside in a defeated titter.<p>

"How's Jasper?" I diverted the attention from me to her after every detail had been exposed and exhausted. Alice was for sure I'd get the position as a football hostess, and it was hard and a little exhausting to try to deter her confidence in me. I was in slight awe from her praise and high opinion of me. Me, as a simple college girl: a virtual nobody, had earned someone's good opinion and belief that I could be something more than I was. The foreign feelings that ignited inside me both scared and delighted me.

"They're going out for a boy's night tonight." Her voice oozed defeat, and it pulled me back from my musings. I assumed that she was unhappy that she would lose the time she could have spent with Jasper.

"Oh?" I commented. She nodded and sighed. "Should we have a girl's night then?" I suggested. Something tugged inside me when I saw Alice's defeat; I never wanted her to lose the light that she constantly shone in any given situation. I was confused by my emotions. How could this tiny pixie wedge her way into my heart after only a week of knowing her? I had done so well in my life to shut everyone out and keep other's emotions from affecting my own. But I knew after one look from her, that I cared about what she was feeling, and I wanted her to be happy.

Alice's eyes flashed bright and a grin split across her face as she took my idea and ran with it, in complete Alice fashion.

Alice roped not only Angela into coming, but she also got her roommate, Irina, and roommates friends named Jessica and Lauren to come join our night out on our first Friday night in college. Alice's roommate was nice enough, but I could already tell after meeting the other two friends that I would keep my distance from them; they both seemed fake and selfish.

I decided on wearing a small bronze one-shoulder dress with bronze heels. I straightened my hair, applied some makeup, and hooked on my necklace. It had a small diamond on the end and a simple delicate chain. It was the first time in a while I had made a true effort to look "nice".

Jessica knew the bartender so despite our youth we were steadily supplied with drinks once we got to the club that night. Something about the club and atmosphere there brought bad memories swarming through my mind of the life I left before. I watched the people dancing, laughing, drinking, and talking too loud… It left a bitter taste in my mouth. And it stunned me as I identified the similarity: this was all so fake. I was in the first situation since I'd been here at Whitlock that I finally recognized and was all too familiar with. I knew how this crowd worked: what to say and how to act to get by.

"Hey Isabella, don't look right now, but there's a really cute, buff guy staring at you." Jessica giggled to me once we were all sitting at a table. The other girls were all talking to one another, but Jessica sat straight across from me and was looking over my shoulder at someone.

"Hmmm… Describe him to me." I took a sip from the burgundy drink I was currently nursing. I wasn't interested in a "really cute, buff guy", but equal parts boredom and curiosity led me to ask.

"Okay, let's see... Dark, thick hair. Dark eyes. Tall and well built. Tanned skin, and very handsome."

"So… Tall, dark, and handsome?" I laughed. Angela joined in as she leaned over to ask what we were talking about.

"Yeah, and he's coming over here." Jessica raised her eyebrows at me and gave the fakest of smiles.

A moment later, I heard a deep voice behind me, "Hey girls, are these seats taken?"

I looked at him, and he matched Jessica's description fairly accurately. He smiled, and his teeth seemed extremely white to me. He had two other guys with him that had the same tanned skin tone as he did and a paler third who was burly as a bear, but with dimples that showed in his grin.

"Nope," Jessica answered. Then she giggled again.

They all took a seat.

"I'm Jake, and this is Quil, Embry, and Emmett." The leader said; he grinned at me.

"I'm Jessica." Jessica looked at me then.

"Isabella." I gave a small smile, and the rest of the girls at the table went around and introduced themselves.

Once everyone was engaged with one another in conversation, Jake turned to look at me.

"So Isabella, what year are you?" Jake asked.

"I'm a freshmen. What about you?"

"We're all sophomores." Jake waved at the other guys. "And we're all on the football team."

"No way? That's awesome." I scanned my eyes back over all of them and it made sense that they would be, as all of them were well built for the sport.

"What's awesome?" Jessica asked.

"They're on the football team." I told her. I then went on to finish the scotch as the feeling of drowning caught up to me. I no longer acknowledged the burn as the liquid went down my throat.

"That's so cool! What do you play?" Jessica bubbled.

"We're on the defensive line." Jake grinned.

"Did Isabella tell you that she applied to be a hostess?" Jessica winked at me.

"And she's going to get it!" Alice interjected from down the table. I wondered how she heard it from down there, and I couldn't help but smile and roll my eyes. I was still slightly in awe at her continued confidence in me.

"Really?" Jake grinned. "I guess I'll probably be seeing you a lot from now on then."

"Maybe so." I smiled back. I vaguely noticed a second drink that was set down in front of me. I took the clear glass in my hand and took another long gulp. I was wishing that I could be near Edward in that moment, the alcohol making my deeper desires intimately known to me. I glanced down at Alice talking with Emmett and Irina at one end of the table and wondered if she didn't feel the same about Jasper with the way she seemed much more subdued than her usual self.

Jake stood up after a few minutes of conversing with Jessica, "Come on Miss Isabella, and show me some moves."

I obliged and we went to the dance floor as he danced close to me. I was wary of the potential intimacy that always comes with dancing, but Jake laughed a lot, and it was hard not to be infected by it. We danced and chatted, and I learned a lot about him. I decided that overall, even though I longed for the presence of someone else with emerald eyes, I really liked Jake. He was just so easy to get along with and seemed like a cool friend to have. We danced for a few songs, but then we came back to the table. Some of our friends were out dancing on the floor, and some were still engaged in conversation at the table.

Lauren grabbed my hand once I took a seat in the chair next to her.

"Isabella! Will you come to the restroom with me?" She smiled sweetly.

I followed her to the restroom, because heaven forbid any girl go alone to such a dangerous, foreign place as the woman's restroom. Getting away from the loud music was a nice splash of cold water on me as I remembered the fakeness and how terrible I felt about being in this club.

After she finished, I followed Lauren to the bar and she handed me a shot. I was still overcome with my lucid awakening and disappointment in my situation. I had escaped here to Whitlock to specifically cut moments like this out of my life. My whole life had been a predetermined role for me to fill, and I had been surrounded by people who said they cared, but never took the chance to know the real me. I didn't want to go back to that. I wanted the genuine friendships I had made here. The honesty and camaraderie and connection with others that I didn't have to be afraid or wary of giving my trust to. They were friends with me not because of where I came from or my name, but because they were interested in me and who I was. I didn't want to lose that. Or the natural, true connection I had felt whenever I was with Edward. That could not be forgotten or tainted. It would break me to see this world at Whitlock turning into something farce.

The pain cutting through my heart by all my thoughts directly impacted the movement of my hand as it grabbed the shot glass, and I gulped it down.

Lauren laughed and asked for another. Fake. I sneered at her. I knew this game. I could be just as fake as her.

I grabbed the other one and we both took the shots. This time the barman whistled and gave us round three.

After round three, Lauren batted her eyes and we were best friends with arms around one another, laughing and spilling our neon pink drinks.

"This tastes like shit!" I yelled at her above the raving music.

"I know, right?" We both laughed. Bitch.

When the overwhelming, claustrophobic, suffocating feeling surrounded me and my every thought, I clambered off to the back door. Lauren followed behind, like the bitch she was. In the moment I pushed the door open, fresh air engulfed me and I took a deep breath.

The door opened to a back alley, where I could see at each end streets and the occasional car passing by. I clambered further out into the fresh air. Lauren trailed behind and I heard the door close and a resounding click that followed, effectively locking us out.

I needed air, more air, or I was going to puke. I came to the sidewall and kicked a heel off as I slid down the wall, my head falling back against the brick as I gazed up at the night sky.

Where were the stars? I couldn't find any. The sky was just a blanket of night. Some mix of midnight blue and charcoal black with a few smoky clouds littered around it.

"Have you ever just wanted someone to know everything about you?" I mused aloud to Lauren. I was so tired of hiding for the majority of my life. I was tired of the disillusionment towards myself that others had toward me. I longed for someone to truly know me, every part of me, down to my deepest secrets and desires. Someone to know who I was, so they could help show me how to become her.

I glanced over to Lauren, who was sitting on the ground twirling her hair and obviously too out of it to even comprehend my question as she stared up at the sky.

Abruptly, I felt a warm hand clamp over my mouth and another on my arm. I turned to see a guy in a black hoodie smiling at me. He smelled strongly of body odor and smoke, and his grip on me was rough.

He spoke in a quiet voice, "What's a fine girl like you doing out here?" If the hand over my mouth and arm didn't do it, that instantly sobered me up.

Lauren heard and jumped up looking both confused and frightened. I managed to bite his finger as it slipped, and he released his bitten hand from my mouth with a growl and instead grabbed Lauren's ankle. She tripped over and fell on her face; I prayed she wasn't knocked out.

With my other arm I tried to claw off his hand from my arm and when that didn't work, I threw a punch right into his face. He removed his hand from Lauren's ankle to my other arm.

"Lauren, run!" I screamed at her. She got up, giving me one last frightened look and ran back down the alley. I tried to wrestle away from the man, but his grip only tightened.

"Damn it, you bitch! Look what you did to my face!" I glanced at his face and saw his nose looked broken, and it was bleeding.

I struggled again and tried to fully stand up. He rose with me and pinned me against the wall while attacking my lips. I cried out, desperate for someone to hear, but my fight instincts quickly took over as I tried to knee him or kick him. He had me so tightly trapped against the wall that I couldn't move an inch. I shook my head back and forth trying to avoid his lips on mine, but he persisted on kissing me. He gripped both of my hands in one of his and with his other hand he proceeded to feel me up. He slipped off the strap of my one shoulder dress, and I prayed it wouldn't fall any lower without the support.

I kept fighting, but I knew it was pointless. He was obviously stronger than me, and I had no way of getting out of this situation. How ironic that in this small town, that I'd come to view of as a haven, turned out to hold more demons haunting me? I tried to remember what more I could do, but he had already recovered my mouth with his hand, and his head was dipping below my chin running along my neck. I closed my eyes and wondered if there was any God or being to hear my call for help.

In the next moment, he was gone. He had flown sideways to the ground. With the sudden release, I slid to the ground against the wall, scrambling away from him. I looked to see what the cause was and saw the most beautiful person in the world. He was furious, and his body was tense as he watched the man who had attacked me. I realized that Edward had pushed him to the ground and then pinned him and was proceeding to punch him.

I heard people running from the direction he had came from and saw Steve and Jasper. Their eyes were wide as they saw me, and then they took in Edward beating up the guy on the ground. They pulled Edward off of my attacker, but the guy was already unconscious. I heard more running, and Lauren appeared with Jessica, Alice, Angela, Irina, Quil, Embry, Emmett and Jake. They all looked surprised to see me there with Edward, Steve, and Jasper.

Before anyone could say anything, Edward wrapped his arms around me in an engulfing embrace. I was still in complete shock; my call for help had been answered. Was it God who sent me Edward right when I needed him, right when I had asked? I melted into his defined arms, the warmth from them emanating past my skin and to my soul. I smelled alcohol on his breath as he asked me in a soft voice, "Are you okay?"

I opened my mouth to answer the deep green eyes penetration as they worked over me, assessing and searching for any damage. But my mouth was still wet from where the creep had been molesting my lips, so I wiped it on the back of my hand, and a shudder ran through me as I thought back on what had just happened. I struggled to put my dress strap back onto my shoulder, and Edward smoothly pushed my fingers aside as he helped slide it right back into place. I took a deep breath.

"I'm okay," I said loudly enough for everyone to hear me.

"What the hell happened?" Steve asked. I glanced around at everyone, nervous by the amount of attention directed towards me, and I noticed that Jake's eyes were narrowed at Edward's arms around me.

Lauren spoke up and told them what she knew, and I finished the story as well as I could.

"Then Edward came and knocked him to the ground. I think he's unconscious now…" I trailed off.

"He better be," Steve seethed. Everyone looked pissed for that matter. As soon as Edward released me, Alice and Angela ran to my side and wrapped me in their arms. Both of them expressed their relief and angst towards not being there as I assured them I was fine.

Oddly enough, once the shock wore off, I really was okay. I felt perfectly safe as long as Edward was near, and he never let go of me. After Alice and Angela had let me go, he instantly grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze. Alice then went to Jasper, who wrapped her in a hug and she beamed at him as they quietly talked.

We all agreed that due to the amount of underage drinking that had been going on that night, we didn't want to involve the cops. I tried to hide my relief once that decision was made. The last thing I needed was for legal officials to get involved in my life here and to uncover things I wanted to keep hidden for the time being. So we left my attacker unconscious in the alley and went back to the bar entrance.

Jake and his friends went ahead and left after making sure we were okay. Jake wrapped me in a hug when he said goodbye, and Edward's emerald eyes narrowed at him. I saw them exchange a weighted glance.

"Jacob." Edward spoke as his goodbye.

"Edward." Jake nodded in return.

And then they left. I didn't have time to question Edward about how he already knew Jake, because I was captured in another tight hug from Alice.

"Well, Isabella we were just about to leave too, so…" Jessica said nervously. I had forgotten that she was still there with Lauren and Irina. However, as I glanced to her, I noticed that she couldn't take her eyes off of Edward, who was still watching Jake's retreating figure in the distance.

Alice pulled away and her and Angela asked if I was ready to go back home as well.

For a moment, I contemplated going back to my dorm tonight with Angela. I wondered how my subconscious would handle everything in the dark when I finally laid alone in my bed that night. The paralyzing anxiety that ran through me at the thought of sleep and battling the demons that awaited me had me looking to Edward and catching his gaze down at me.

"Don't go," Edward murmured. I don't know if he read the previous panic in my eyes or what inspired him to say it, but he continued as he leant down and whispered in my ear, "Stay with me tonight." His emerald eyes pierced mine as they read every emotion that flowed through me in that moment. I was both showered in relief of being able to stay with my savior as gratitude warmed my heart towards him, and excitement coursed in my veins for prolonged time with the guy that had been consuming my thoughts for the past week that I'd known him.

I nodded, and then turned to Alice and Angela, "You two can go ahead, I think I'm going to go over to Edward's for a while."

They made sure I was okay, Alice gave a parting hug to Jasper, and then they both left with Irina, Jessica and Lauren.

I followed Steve and Jasper down the road to their car. Edward's arm was around me as he walked with me.

"Wait, where did you come from?" I asked them.

Steve looked back at Edward, who didn't say anything, so Steve answered, "Well I was driving back to the apartment, and we came to the stoplight down there by the alley, and all of a sudden Edward just opened the door and took off… I mean he's done pretty crazy stuff when he's drunk, but not that crazy. So I pulled off into the parking lot up here, and we followed him and found you."

"Oh, wow." I wondered if Edward had known who it was, when he saw that some girl in a dark alley was being attacked.

"Yeah," Steve gave Edward a strange look. Edward's eyes were on me though. I blushed under his constant gaze, and I let my hair fall over my shoulder, effectively shielding my blush from his eyes, and to create some separation between us as we continued towards their car.

When we got to their apartment, Steve and Jasper told me they were glad that I was okay and to make myself at home. Then they left for their rooms, giving Edward and I some privacy.

Edward's exhaust was tangible as he led me to his bedroom, and I felt my own fall upon me as the fogginess returned from the amount of drinks I'd consumed earlier that night. He stumbled through his door, and I helped balance him. No words were spoken as he removed his shirt and shoes, and I slid my heels off. I tried to avert my eyes from his bare back and chest, but I couldn't deny my attraction and the pull I felt to memorize his defined muscles. My fingers twitched, and Edward glanced over and caught my heavy eyes appraising him. He smirked, and I rolled my eyes. Edward crossed the room to where he stood in front of me, and the air became thicker as I struggled to keep my breath normal. The electricity between us sparked as he took my hand in his. He glanced down at our adjoined hands, and his eyebrows furrowed. He shook his head and led me to the bathroom that was through another door in his room.

"You can use whatever you need," he told me. Then closed the door behind him as he went back into his room. I leaned over, and then crouched in a ball on the cold tile floor. I tried to normalize my breath and push out the foreign feelings inside me. Exhaust helped me clear my mind from my overwhelming desire toward Edward.

After I composed myself, I took a shower. The filth and dirt clung to my being from the attack, and I scrubbed my skin raw trying to get the feeling of the guy's lips and hands off of me. After the shower, I found an extra toothbrush in his drawer and brushed my teeth. I realized I didn't have anything else to wear, so I wrapped up in a towel and went back to ask Edward if I could borrow a shirt. With hooded eyes at seeing my current apparel, he gave me some sweatpants and a shirt, and then told me I could dress in his room while he used the bathroom.

I heard the shower turn on after I dressed. I sat on his bed and combed my fingers through my hair as I waited for him to finish. I couldn't get over how immaculately clean his room was. There wasn't much to suggest any of his interests. The room was styled well, but held no identifying belongings. I stood up from the bed and went to go look outside his window, and I was amazed by the view outside of his room. There was a moonlit lake and trees surrounded it, creating a privacy and beauty that only nature can perfect. There wasn't one sign of the lights from the city. Just the lake and woods that laid undisturbed from the everyday goings of life. It was absolutely breathtaking. I looked out for a while wondering at the simplicity encompassing the scene before me, and envying the steadfastness that nature provided.

Edward's hand slipping around mine drew me away from my musings, and he pulled me closer to him. I felt myself naturally snuggling into his embrace, without conscious thought of doing so, but overwhelmed at the feeling of security and completeness that his arms brought me.

He led me to his bed and pulled back the covers. I climbed inside the soft sheets and he slid in next to me, wrapping his arms around me. I sighed in content as I turned to face him, resting my head on his forearm. Deep blue met emerald green as our eyes connected.

If I could ever be frozen in a moment, I would've chosen that moment with Edward. Even though we were in bed, it wasn't sexual desires that drew me closer to him; it was need. I needed him next to me to fight away the demons that were haunting me. I knew, on a deep level that resonated in my soul, that I was safe in his arms.

I couldn't fight the smile that graced my lips after a few moments of us just looking at each other. The most adorable, crooked grin grew on his face as he smiled back then closed his eyes: the fight with sleep lost as the ghost of his smile remained on his face.

"Goodnight Edward." I whispered, so full of emotion. I snuggled deeper into his embrace and as his arms subconsciously held me tighter, I gave in to my exhaustion.

Before sleep overcame me, a small voice reminded me that he might not even feel it, that I could just be some girl to him and it was all in my head.

After all, I didn't even know his last name.

**Chapter Title Song: **

**Savior- Red Hot Chili Peppers**

**I'm sorry for the long overdue update. More is coming soon! I posted a little one shot a couple of days ago called A Night to Remember, for all you true "football"(soccer) fans out there, if you want to check it out to help with the wait for the next chapter of DB. My goal is to have Chapter 4 up by this weekend or the next weekend. Also, for all you newcomers, I have EPOV in a story called Emerald Green. It will be updated as this one permits.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Endless Love,**

**Chance33**


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